COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) - Alzheimer’s and dementia are diseases that not only affect the person diagnosed, but also the family members who play a role in their care.
The South Carolina Department on Aging received a little more than a million dollars from the state legislature last year that’s already helping them get more care to more people.
The South Carolina Alzheimer’s Association started a new program that brings dementia specialists to more areas of the state.
Taylor Wilson, Director of Government Affairs Alzheimer’s Association, said the goal to be accessible to as many people as possible means a lot to her.
“I started and was helping be a caregiver to my grandmother. It was a personal experience of struggles that every caregiver goes through,” Wilson said.
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With $1.1 million in funding from the Department On Aging, they will employ 10 specialist who will be positioned across South Carolina.
The Alzheimer's Association Vice Board Chair, Lee Pearson, said connecting to people in their own town is important.
"To be able to put resources in close proximity to those, especially in rural communities of our state, who are needing answers to their questions, a directional arrow and a time of crisis, to be able to get the support that they need," Pearson said.
Wilson said the legislature has played a key role when it comes to getting funding and care in the state.
"Our legislators have been incredibly receptive to their stories and we've been able to do so much because they pay attention to the issue of dementia while also paying attention to the people behind it," Wilson said.
The Dementia Specialist Program is expected to be available next June.
For more information about resources, check out SC Alzheimer's Association website.